General policies and principles for the Library's collections are stated in the General Collection Development Policy.  

Purpose of the Collection

Formally named the Andelson Collection, for Sheldon “Shelley” Andelson, the first openly gay University of California Regent, the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) studies collection supports instructional and research activities within academic programs and departments across campus.  Special attention is given to the curricular offerings of the LGBTQ Studies Minor in the Department of Feminist Studies.

Subject Parameters

The LGBTQ studies collection is an interdisciplinary collection with a focus on the lives, experiences, identities, and representations of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals; their families and communities; their cultures and subcultures; their histories, institutions, languages and literatures; their economics and politics; and their complex relations to the culture and experience of a heterosexual majority.  The collection emphasizes the intersection of sexuality and gender with race, class, ethnicity and nation.

Scope

Geographical Coverage

Geographic coverage is global, with special attention given to the Americas (except Canada).

Language

Language materials are collected by area studies librarians for East Asian studies, French studies, German studies, Italian studies, Latin American studies, Middle Eastern studies, Slavic studies, and Spanish, and Portuguese.

Chronological Limits/Period Coverage

The nineteenth century to present is the primary collecting period.  Earlier periods are covered selectively.

Publication Dates

Recent imprints are prioritized.  Older imprints are selectively acquired.

Types of Materials Collected

University press research monographs are widely acquired.  Scholarly research from trade, small and alternative presses are sought.  Scholarly reference sources, including dictionaries, encyclopedias, handbook, and indexes are collected.  Other priorities are serials, films and digital archives.

Formats

Electronic is the preferred format for edited volumes, anthologies, reference books and serials.

Systemwide and Other Resources

The collection benefits heavily from the cooperative systemwide licensing of serials, indexing and abstracting databases, and digital archives by the California Digital Library and UC Libraries.

Related Collection Development Policies

Policy Last Updated: June 2015